Should we legalise marijuana?

Yes – Chris Dillon

“The government has a contradictory policy”

Why can’t I smoke cannabis? Why should the government stop me doing what I want, taking what risks that I choose, with my body? Yes, the government does other things in the name of public health, e.g. making us wear a seatbelt. However, wearing a seatbelt 1) has a definite health benefit (a 30-50% greater chance of surviving a crash) and 2) doesn’t take away anything interesting from our lives, except a few seconds and the slightest constriction on our movement. This is for a benefit we would probably agree is worth the constraint on our liberty. So why is cannabis different? There is a more unique experience that comes with cannabis and whether the current criminalisation even leads to a benefit to public health is questionable. The harms to others is minimal (compare this to alcohol), and the feared psychological risk has not been demonstrated to be particularly large – 2.6 times more was suggested in 2008 by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) – although yes, there are increased risks and it is safer to not use it at all. However, risks are present in all activities, and if I can make an informed choice about the risks and benefits, why should the government stop me?

At the least, we can agree the government has a contradictory policy allowing the mass consumption of alcohol and tobacco. Reasons to ban and criminalise cannabis can extend to these. The reason we ban the substance is that it’s dangerous, but the government has no fixed line of where something becomes too dangerous; recall Professor Nutt (at the time chairing the ACMD) claiming ecstasy was less dangerous than horse-riding. Is cannabis more dangerous and are its addicts not in a similar need as those who are suicidal or who self-harm – both of which are legal? Given the greater risk of cannabis to people’s psychological health, how much do we fail in the current policy for a safer, cannabis-free environment? It is not considered difficult to find cannabis, and one can imagine that when obtained, often very little is known about its composition – a dangerous situation. The strength and strain of the cannabis can be unknown while other cheaper products could also be present. These are both problems which could be avoided by a regulated service. Tobacco demonstrates this regulation is achievable; we have an expectation that tobacco sold is exactly what it claims.

Indeed, we could have much tighter controls for cannabis, having special points for dispensation where people can freely buy cannabis of a reliable specification. This would also allow a point where people can have their well-being checked. Compared with the current situation of being criminalised, problems would be more freely discussed. The regulation would perhaps be cheaper than the daily raids the police carry out and the aftermath of untreated psychological problems.

The number of people smoking cannabis is large with the current policy failing; wouldn’t it be better if buying cannabis was transparent and controlled, rather than governed by criminal, profit-laden hands?

No – Lingxi Huang

“It is a dangerous slippery slope”

The history of the consumption of psychoactive substances is been as long as human history itself; attempts to curb such behaviour are similarly ancient. However, in recent times there has been a dramatic shift in attitudes towards drug use. Once seen as a vice that invites the contempt of the society, usage of mind-altering substances has lost much of its stigma in contemporary society. Indeed, right now policy makers are making serious considerations to legalize marijuana, chiefly for its medicinal properties.

_Marijuana is the world’s most commonly used illicit drug. It is a mild hallucinogen and shares some of the effects of alcohol, though its influence on the user does usually differ wildly. It is considered a “soft” drug, since its side effects are significantly lower that other drugs like heroin. As such, it has gained popularity amongst some youth subcultures as a recreational drug, something for youngsters to unwind or just have fun with. _

Given the permissive attitudes towards drugs today, some people are advocating for its legalization so that it can be controlled and monitored like tobacco or alcohol. As the argument goes, doing so will remove the black market in drug dealing and significantly reduce drug related crimes. However, we will need to deal with the consequence of cheaper and more readily available marijuana, especially on teenagers. The laws of economics dictate that as the price of the drug goes down, its consumption increases proportionately. The current pattern suggests that people under 35 will be disproportionately affected, and this will have grave impact on both the individuals and society. Studies have shown that smoking weed will significantly impact the user’s learning capabilities and damages the lungs. This will impair the long term prospects of youths who are less likely to succeed in school or work due to their drug habit. Furthermore, marijuana may also become a “stepping stone” drug. When users are no longer satisfied by the high generated by weed, they may move on to more potent and destructive substitutes. It would be unwise to legalize something that has the potential to destroy lives.

Another argument in support of legalising marijuana is that it should be used for medical purposes. While some researchers report that marijuana can bring relief to patients undergoing chemotherapy or those suffering from AIDS, there is a significant amount of conflicting evidence that warrants a healthy dose of scepticism. Given that marijuana contains over 400 chemicals aside from its main active ingredient THC, it is difficult to quantify the long term effects of marijuana usage. With the progress in drug development, patients can readily use other alternatives that are purer and have fewer side effects. Therefore, marijuana’s value as a medicine is at best overrated.

Even though the Netherlands and some states have already legalised marijuana, it is a dangerous slippery slope that is best avoided since legalising the drug has no intrinsic benefit to society but leaves plenty of room for disastrous errors.